Cuff links



Feb. 18, 1958 J BACON 2,823,435

CUFF LINKS Filed NOV. 23, 1956 BY W. 2

United statfis Patent CUFF LINKS John H. Bacon, Wellesley, Mass.Application November 23, 1956, Serial No. 624,092

Claims. (Cl. 24-97) The present invention relates to a cuif linkstructure. In the manufacture of cult links, the structure willconventionally have an ornamental button, cross bars, trunnion and alocking bar mounted on the trunnion. The locking 'bars are usuallymounted on the trunnion in such a manner as to provide a spring tensionto maintain them in one of several selected positions. This feature ofthe lock bar may be obtained in several ways, as for example byproviding a spring member internally located within the lock bar oralternately by severing the trunnion and placing a solid lock barbetween its severed ends with the trunnion tensioned inwardly into anopening shaped so as to provide the selected tension.

Each of the previously known means of forming cuff links of this naturefail in several ways to provide a structure which is both inexpensive tomanufacture and is certain of operation. Those cuflf links which utilizesprings are somewhat expensive to manufacture, while those which relyupon severing the trunnion to form a spring tension connection betweenthe trunnion and lock bar are not structurally sound.

The present invention overcomes these difiiculties and in additionprovides a structure of improved design. The particular advantages ofthe structure of the present invention, will be more clearly understoodwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate an embodiment fo the invention,

In the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary front elevation of the main bodyportion of the cuff link including the ornamental head and cross barsand trunnion;

Figure 2 is a partially cross sectional front elevation of the lockingbar;

Figure 3 is a partially cross sectioned front elevation of a cap for thelocking bar; and,

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated inFigure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is illustrated anembodiment of the present invention which is made entirely of a plastic,preferably nylon plastic material. Other plastics may be used providedthey have properties which are substantially similar in nature to nylonplastic, and include toughness and resilience as well as a degree offlexibility.

The button or cap 1 may be molded plain or with any selectedornamentation on its outer surface. Projecting from its inner surface 2of the button and preferably angular thereto are a pair of cross bars 3and 4, which may be of any conventional cross sectioned shape but whichare preferably oval or rectangular in shape. The upper ends of thesecross bars 3 and 4 are connected together by a trunnion 5 whichpreferably extends normally to these cross bars 3 and 4 as isillustrated. The trunnion 5, cross bars 3 and 4, and button 1, aremolded as an integral and continuous piece. The trunnion 5 has arectangular cross section as is illustrated in Figure 1.

The locking bar 6 is formed of material similar to that from which thecross bars, trunnion and button are formed and is preferably cylindricalin cross section with a rounded end 7. The other end 8 has a shoulder 9from which projects a button element 10. A slot 11 extends from the endof the button 10 longitudinally of the bar 6 to a point 12 close to theend 7. This slot 11 has an enlarged section or recess 13, symmetricallylocated. The section 13 and slot 11 extend all the way through thelocking bar 6. The enlarged recess 13 has a cross sectional shape andsize adapted to snugly fit about the trunnion 5.

The passage or slot 11 is sufficiently wide and the plastic from whichthe locking bar 6 is formed, should be sutficiently flexible to permitthe slot 11 to be opened and the trunnion 5 to slide through to theenlarged recess 13. recess 13, a cap illustrated in Figure 3 may bepositioned over the boss or projection 10. This cap 15 has a recess oropening 16 shaped and sized to fit over the member 10. A transverselyextending flange 17 extends across the recess 16 and is located withinthe recess so as to fit into the ends of the slot 11, when the cap 15 ispositioned over the member 10. When the unit is assembled with thelocking bar 6 positioned on the trunnion 5 and the cap 15 on the member10, the entire unit may be rigidly secured together by a quantity ofsuitable cement applied within the recess 16, just before the cap isinserted on the member 10. The unit thus assembled provides a structurein which the locking bar will normally be maintained either parallelwith the cross bars 3 and 4, or normal to them. If the locking bar ismomentarily positioned at an angle other than as specified above, thetension created by the resilient plastic will cause the locking bars tosnap into one of the aforementioned positions. For preferable operationof this device, the recess 13 and trunnion 5 should be substantiallysquare in cross section so that the locking bar will be readilymaintained in either one of the two previously mentioned positionswithout unnecessary tension being applied to the plastic.

The structure of the cuff links as thus illustrated is exceptionallyinexpensive in nature for it does not require the utilization ofmetallic springs or other foreign members and the entire structure maybe molded from plastic of the same type. Furthermore, the structure asillustrated is exceptionally strong in view of the integral and unitarystructure of the trunnion cross bars and button.

Particular attention is directed towards slot 11 and recess 13. The slotportions adjacent to recess 13 impart sufiicient flexibility to thelocking bar to permit rotation without binding. If these slots were notprovided, the locking bar would in all probabilities bind or would haveto be manufactured with a recess so much larger than the locking bar,that the snap action would be substantially ineffective.

Attention is also directed toward the fact that by utilization of a capand locking bar arrangement, with the solid trunnion, plating of thebutton is substantially facilitated.

In the present invention, the button, cross bars and trunnion may beplated and the locking bar which is normally not viewable is thenapplied to the trunnion without plating. Plating must be avoided on thesurfaces to be cemented. For this reason it is impractical to use astructure in which the trunnion bar would have to be cemented, ifplating is desirable.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A cuff link comprising a button, a pair of cross bars secured at oneend to and extending from the button, a trunnion polyhedral in crosssection joining the free ends of the cross bars, a locking bar ofresilient material having a polyhedral opening corresponding in crosssection to the cross section of the trunnion extending trans- PatentedFeb. 18, 1958 With the trunnion 5 positioned in the enlarged.

versely therethrough and closely fitting over the trunnion, said barhaving aligned longitudinal slots which are formed therein and extendtransversely through the bar from the polyhedral opening, one toward andshort of,

the trunnion lies in the opening, a cap secured to saidv other end ofthe locking bar and closing the end of said other slot, said slotspermitting the bar to spread apart in the region of the polyhedralopening only, in such a manner that the bar remains substantiallyundistorted at its ends when the locking bar is pivoted through 90 onthe trunnion.

2. A cuff link as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the caphaving a recess formed in one end and receiving said other end of thelocking bar, and a partition formed in the recess and fitting into theend of the other slot.

3. In combination with a cufi link having a button and a trunnionsecured to and spaced from the button, a locking bar, said locking barhaving an opening formed therein extending transverely therethroughintermediate its ends and receiving the trunnion, said opening in thebar and the said trunnion being of such a shape that the bar can beselectively locked in one of a plurality of' positions, said locking baralso having a slot formed transversely therethrough from the opening toone end so that a pair of arms are formed on opposite sides thereof forperasasms e .4 mitting the bar to he slid onto the trunnion so that thetrunnion lies within the opening, said arms extending from the openingto the end of the bar, a cap having a recess formed in one end forreceiving the ends of the arms, a partition formed in the recess of thecap and extending into the end of the slot, and means for securing theends of the arms in the recess and the partition I within the slot.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said trunnion and openinghave rectangular cross sections whereby said bar can be selectivelylocked in two positions at right angles to one another.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said arms are formed withshoulders at their ends adapted to fit within the recess of said capwith the outer walls of said bar and cap forming a continuous surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent

